palatopharyngeal closure

Definition from Glossary

A sphincteric action sealing the oral cavity from the nasal cavity during swallowing and phonation by the synchronous movement of the middle third of the soft palate in a superior and posterior direction, the lateral pharyngeal wall medially, and the posterior walls of the pharynx anteriorly—syn VELOPHARYNGEAL CLOSURE

Pronunciation
pă-li˘t′a-fa-ri˘n′jē-al, -jal, -făr′i˘n-jē′al klō′zhur